Z reference, Tool height setter?

[MidniteMachinist]

With X and Y already working, will the Z reference will eventually work with the touch probe functionality?

Also, would it be possible to implement a tool height setter, in addition to the touch probe? Possibly as an alternate function for the W-axis end stop switch input? This would greatly simplify figuring out the Z-offset for each tool in the library.

Edit: additional thought... I know it's not a common use case, but would it be possible to add touch probe functionality to the lathe configuration as well?

[Yuriy]

With X and Y already working, will the Z reference will eventually work with the touch probe functionality?

Also, would it be possible to implement a tool height setter, in addition to the touch probe? Possibly as an alternate function for the W-axis end stop switch input? This would greatly simplify figuring out the Z-offset for each tool in the library.

Edit: additional thought... I know it's not a common use case, but would it be possible to add touch probe functionality to the lathe configuration as well?

Tool setter input is on my "short" TODO list. The main hold up is that I haven't figured out how to do it well [yet]. As far as connections go, it's not that hard to have two probes in series/parallel as long as they both are normally open or normally closed. A mix would need a relatively simple transistor circuit to make them both the same type. 

All this said, have you tried using a basic analog tool height setter? It's pretty darn easy to set tool offsets with one.

Probe input doesn't care about mill or lathe, but I'd need to figure out how to make the UI work for the late. I.e. would it be a special tool, etc. I will add this as an "idea"...

Regards
Yuriy

[MidniteMachinist]

I've not tried an analog height setter... That was going to be the route I took, if you weren't planning on implementing it in TDRO. But you are, which is awesome!

Yeah, I can see the lathe UI being a bit of a pain, for the touch probe. Currently, I just use the 5V and GND to power an LED. The LED has 5V, and the ground is routed through a wire with a big alligator clip on the end, and I used paper to electrically isolate my toolpost from the lathe.

To pick up on the part, I drop the desired tool onto the toolpost, and clip the alligator clip to it. When the tool touches the work, the LED lights up. While this does require the workpiece to be conductive, I've found it works really well.

I've been trying to conceive of a lathe touch probe, and I've got a few ideas. Just need to put down an actual design, and build a prototype.